Firm strategy should drive design, content and navigation decisions. If your Web site looks like many others, it may be time to upgrade—start with strategy.

Develop architectural plans for each section of your site. This helps you to envision the visitor experience that you’re creating.

View your home page as you would valuable real estate. What percentage is devoted to your key messages?

The site’s look and feel should reflect your firm, its client base and your style of doing business. Visitors want to know who you are and what you can do for them.

Be specific as you describe what you do. This helps distinguish and differentiate you.

Deborah McMurray ( mcmurray@couchmoney.com) is a strategic marketing consultant to the legal industry and principal of Deborah McMurray Associates in Dallas. She is coauthor of The Lawyer’s Guide to Marketing on the Internet, 2nd ed. (ABA 2002).